Bryce Brown's recruitment continues to take on almost-mythical proportions, as now comes word that one school may pull out of the sweepstakes.

Miami might not wait on Bryce Brown. Brown, a running back from Wichita (Kan.) East who is the nation's No. 1 player, has maintained that he is a Miami commitment despite looking at other schools. He already has taken visits to Clemson, Oregon, Tennessee, Kansas State and Missouri, is scheduled to take an unofficial visit to LSU on Feb. 27 and was planning to take his final official visit to Miami on March 3. Brown then was to make public his decision March 12.

But news surfaced Tuesday that if Brown doesn't sign his national letter-of-intent with the Hurricanes today, Miami likely will cease its recruitment of him. The letter-of-intent Brown was offered by Miami expires at midnight Thursday, and a person involved in recruiting the running back says UM will not re-issue the scholarship offer.

"Everything that Coach [Randy] Shannon is doing here is about team," a high-ranking source in the athletic department told CaneSport.com, a Rivals.com Web site. "There is always going to be concern about a player or a prospective player who isolates himself as an individual.

"There is a strong chance that a new letter-of-intent will not be offered if he doesn't sign by Wednesday night."

Brian Butler, who is handling Brown's recruiting, told Rivals.com Wednesday that neither he nor anyone in Brown's family has spoken with Miami since the report surfaced. But Butler feels confident Miami remains a viable option.

"We talked to them right before this all broke," Butler said. "Bryce talked with Randy Shannon, and Coach Shannon talked to Mr. Brown as well. I guess there was some guy from The AP that talked to somebody from the school and the information was that they were considering dropping Bryce.

I trust Coach [Randy] Shannon and his word more than an AP reporter. Mr. Brown and Bryce talked to Coach Shannon on Monday and he knows what the situation is, and we've not heard anything to change our status with them.- Bryce Brown's mentor Brian Butler "Whether that is true or not, I don't know. Bryce and Mr. Brown talked to the head coach. I trust Coach Shannon and his word more than an AP reporter. Mr. Brown and Bryce talked to Coach Shannon on Monday and he knows what the situation is, and we've not heard anything to change our status with them." The letter-of-intent drama was just part of the buzz about Brown on Tuesday. The story took another twist when Brown announced on Butler's Web site that his final two visits would be to LSU on Feb. 27 and to Miami on March 3. Brown, who uses the Web site as his preferred way of making recruiting-related announcements, also talked about his official visit to Tennessee.

"At LSU, I want to see the offensive game plan, meet the people and get a feel for the city of Baton Rouge," Brown said in the statement. "[Miami will be] in spring ball, so I want to see how the coaches interact with the players at practice and look at how the new offense is coming along.

"The players and the coaches at Tennessee are fired up down there. I could tell that they are working hard to battle for the SEC title. We talked about how they are going to block different run plays. We also talked about the impact that Coach [Lane] Kiffin had with the Oakland Raiders over the past couple of years, as well as his NFL experience with the St. Louis Rams."

Brown said Kiffin, the Vols' new coach, did his best to sway him to sign with Tennessee.

"You can feel the passion that he has to make UT champions again," Brown said. "He already has proven that he is one of the best offensive minds in football. Coach Kiffin made a big impression on me."

Miami is already heavy with running backs. They don't need that bullshit talent from somewhere in Missouri, where there isn't competition. That's the problem previous coach Coker made....he went after the national level talent out of SoFla and when they came here, they couldn't play worth a damn. It's best to go after homegrown talent where there is a very high level of competition and talent so the transition to the college game isn't as difficult.

Brown's so called "mentor"(agent) Brian Butler is a total fraud and hustler.

Miami is already heavy with running backs. They don't need that bullshit talent from somewhere in Missouri, where there isn't competition. That's the problem previous coach Coker made....he went after the national level talent out of SoFla and when they came here, they couldn't play worth a damn. It's best to go after homegrown talent where there is a very high level of competition and talent so the transition to the college game isn't as difficult.

Brown's so called "mentor"(agent) Brian Butler is a total fraud and hustler.

True. He said that Brown wants 4-5 million a year at the Cfl level. Brown should just go down there and play with his Brother Arthur Brown. I mean if he wants to rethink his college choice and that is cool but he is wanting money.

Yea, i found that funny and the top salary is $500k and this ass wants 4 to 5 Million a year..hahaha I think that he may land with Tennessee

I see a young Barry Sanders when i watch this kid and he wants to throw everything away. I can see why now, Randy Shannon is about to revoke his Scholarship. This kid reminds me of Terelle Pryor. Just give the kid a damn Credit Card and let him go spend and produce out on the field. Bryce Brown has a manager at 18 years of age....I guess i took the wrong turn in my life.

When Lane Kiffin was announced as the new coach at Tennessee, he vowed that he and his staff would go out and get the best players in the country.

Little did anyone expect that Kiffin and Co. would go out in three months and sign the nation's No. 1 player.

But in a press conference at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Vols did just that in landing running back Bryce Brown.

"I asked God to reveal it to me," Brown said. "He gave me the sign. When I first went there (on official visit) I wasn't feeling it. I had a lot of concerns about Tennessee and the offense. When I went back, I got the sign. God told me that I was a Volunteer. I just felt it."

Bryce Brown picked Tennessee on Monday.

That feel came mostly from seeing Tennessee work out Friday night inside Neyland Stadium.

"It was very important," Brown said of his unofficial visit over the weekend. "When I went there the first time, I just didn't get a good feel offensively of what they wanted to do. Seeing spring practice and seeing the offense work, it's exactly what I was looking for. They have a lot of coaches with NFL experience and I felt that they could help me best get prepared for the next level."

Like Brown's entire recruitment, Monday's announcement was full of suspense and some drama. It started 10 minutes late and Brown pulled out a Miami hat that he had been seen wearing Sunday and Monday.

But as it appeared he might be saying he was a Hurricane, Brown turned and handed the hat to his older brother Arthur Brown and donned a Tennessee hat declaring he was a Vol.

The quest for Brown, who said Kansas State finished second, has centered mostly around friend/handler Brian Butler. But the Vols, led by offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and running backs coach Eddie Gran, took a different approach recruiting Brown and his parents.

Brown, who said his position coach would be was a key element to his decision, obviously likes Gran.

"I like Coach Gran a lot," Brown said. "His philosophy is a lot like Brian's [Butler]. He expects nothing but the best from you, and that is what I am used to.

"I wanted to go to a place where I knew the coaches would push me and make me work the hardest every day. I learned yesterday at church when there is a lot of pressure on me, that is when I am at my best."

Lane Kiffin is a buffoon. Earl's right. You can just tell he's a douchebag...

He's young and cocky, thats true. But UT has been on the downward spiral for a good 7 years now. They needed someone to put some excitement back into the program. You don't take the reigns of a 5-6 team that just fired its 16 year head coach and get a #8 recruiting class and the #1 back in the nation without having some sort of talent.

He's young and cocky, thats true. But UT has been on the downward spiral for a good 7 years now. They needed someone to put some excitement back into the program. You don't take the reigns of a 5-6 team that just fired its 16 year head coach and get a #8 recruiting class and the #1 back in the nation without having some sort of talent.

This is true. After all, this guy was a former head coach in the NFL at such a young age. We'll see how this year's recruiting class translates to success on the field.

He's young and cocky, thats true. But UT has been on the downward spiral for a good 7 years now. They needed someone to put some excitement back into the program. You don't take the reigns of a 5-6 team that just fired its 16 year head coach and get a #8 recruiting class and the #1 back in the nation without having some sort of talent.

fulmer always had top classes, lets see if kiffin can coach them up

being the coach of the raiders (when nobody else wanted the job) doesn't mean he can coach

This is true. After all, this guy was a former head coach in the NFL at such a young age. We'll see how this year's recruiting class translates to success on the field.

You guys only see Lane. But you forget that his Dad, Monte, a great Defensive mind is coaching the Defense. Lane got Alabamas Linebackers coach and main recruiter to join the UT Staff. He got the Auburn Running back coach Eddie Gran, the guy who coached Cadillac Williams, Ronnie Brown, Deuce McCalister, and Brandon Jacobs to come Coach at UT. He got Ed Ogerron, regarded as the best recruiter in the nation and who helped put together the great USC squads of the early 2000's to Coach at UT. Kiffin is bringing alot of the hate on himself, but the guy is putting together a very impressive staff and team. Give him a couple of years, UT will be back.

You guys only see Lane. But you forget that his Dad, Monte, a great Defensive mind is coaching the Defense. Lane got Alabamas Linebackers coach and main recruiter to join the UT Staff. He got the Auburn Running back coach Eddie Gran, the guy who coached Cadillac Williams, Ronnie Brown, Deuce McCalister, and Brandon Jacobs to come Coach at UT. He got Ed Ogerron, regarded as the best recruiter in the nation and who helped put together the great USC squads of the early 2000's to Coach at UT. Kiffin is bringing alot of the hate on himself, but the guy is putting together a very impressive staff and team. Give him a couple of years, UT will be back.